AOPA: Unlicensed O&P providers collect billions in Medicare funds

Unlicensed O&P providers collected billions of dollars in Medicare funds from 2007 to 2011 due to a lack of enforcement by the CMS, while licensed providers have faced Medicare recovery audits that are becoming more aggressive, according to a report released this week by AOPA. The study analyzed three states that mandate O&P provider certification and found that 68% of Medicare bills were for devices from noncertified entities. "This means that billions of dollars in payments were made to providers who Congress specifically intended to exclude from eligibility for payments," AOPA said in a statement.